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Win all the sweeter Arsenal takes initiative in title race after win at Spurs
Posted: Thursday May 06, 1999 02:49 PM
LONDON (Reuters) -- Arsenal has stolen the initiative from Manchester United in the race for the English league title that is now set to go all the way to the wire. Arsenal's 3-1 win at arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday lifted the champions to 75 points, three points clear of United who drew 2-2 at Liverpool. Arsenal, with two games left, have a goal difference of plus one over United but have also played one match more than Alex Ferguson's treble-chasing team. Chelsea, in third place, has 71 points and still retain a mathematical chance of winning the title after beating Leeds United 1-0 at Stamford Bridge. But they have definitely clinched England's third spot in next season's Champions' League. The stage is now set for the most dramatic finale since Blackburn Rovers' victory on the final day in 1995 as Arsenal bid to win successive titles for the first time since they completed a hat trick of championships between 1933 and 1935. The next installment comes on Sunday when European Cup finalists United travel to Middlesbrough, coached by its old skipper Bryan Robson. Two days later Arsenal travels to Leeds -- coached by its old skipper David O'Leary. On May 12 Manchester United plays its extra fixture, away at Blackburn -- coached by its former deputy coach Brian Kidd. On the last day of the season, Sunday May 16, Arsenal hosts Aston Villa, Manchester United is at home to Spurs and Chelsea is at home to Derby County. Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger was remaining very cautious after Wednesday's win over its most bitter rivals thanks to goals from Emmanuel Petit, Nicolas Anelka and Nwankwo Kanu. "It is still very tight and could even be decided on the best goalscoring record," he said. "If United win all their games they have one more chance than we have to score lots of goals and that is why I still think the title is in their hands. "I don't accept we are favorites. You can make lots of calculations, but you don't know who is going to win it or how they are going to win it. It is very open." Arsenal's defender Nigel Winterburn's joy at Kanu's superb third goal in the 85th minute has got him into trouble. He was reported to the English Football Association on Thursday for inciting the Spurs fans with his over-elaborate celebrations. While Arsenal were winning at Spurs, Manchester United looked set to take all three points from Anfield where they led Liverpool 2-0 with only 20 minutes to play. But after goals from Dwight Yorke and Denis Irwin (penalty) had given United the lead, Liverpool stormed back with a penalty from Jamie Redknapp and an equaliser 90 seconds from time from former United star Paul Ince. The penalty decision, and the 75th minute sending off of Irwin for a second yellow card for time-wasting -- which rules him out of FA Cup Final against Newcastle United on May 22 -- left United boss Ferguson raging. "There was no way they could have beaten us or even scored a goal from the position we were in and the referee just handed it to them. But that is the kind of man we have to deal with. "We are not going to let him deny us the chance of winning the league. We could have won but for the referee. The players do not deserve what happened to them tonight." Ince was delighted with the equalizer, which seriously harmed United's bid to win the league and complete the treble of league title, FA Cup and European Cup. "Words cannot explain it," he said, "I've had a lot of stick over the last two years, been called a 'Big Time Charlie' and all that. "I knew someday I'd have my day and today was that day and I am just ecstatic. "The second before I scored I knew I was going to get the equalizer because it was an open goal, and I just got this rush of adrenaline because I knew I couldn't miss." Despite Wednesday night's drama, London bookmakers William Hill still rate United as 8-11 favorites for the title and at 5-2 to complete the treble. They cut Arsenal's odds from 5-4 to evens to win the title but even at those odds, business could be brisk in betting shops in the red half of North London over the next 10 days.
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